Beginnings
by Elizabeth Cassidy
Summary: This is SVU the way I envision it. Elliot and Olivia will be the main focus throughout, but I'll make sure to keep the rest of the gang as involved as possible. These are my first attempts at fanfic, so I hope y'all enjoy and reviews are ALWAYS welcome.
1. Chapter 1

"You know, you really don't need to dress up just for little old me," remarked an exhausted Elliot Stabler with a sly grin creeping across his face. His partner, Olivia, normally uniformed in Dockers and sturdy shoes was quite breathtaking in a slinky black number that left little to the imagination.

"You wish," retorted Olivia. "One of these days, I am going to go on a date and not end up in this dump before the night is even over."

"There's nothing like being married to your job. What happened? Prescott's dinner didn't agree with him?" Elliot could not avoid an unmistakable hint of jealousy in his tone.

"Parker," she corrected him, "spent half the evening talking about how he and I aren't getting any younger, and how he is tired of feeling like he keeps coming in second to my work."

"So?"

"So what?"

"What happened after that?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" Elliot's face was sympathetic. "I don't know how you managed a marriage and four kids while working here."

"It wasn't easy, but look how great it turned out!" Having been divorced for well over two years now made joking about it much more sincere and comfortable. "Don't worry, Liv, this place isn't going anywhere-you will always have a job to spend your life with. Why do you think I'm here this late on a Saturday night?"

Olivia had no answer. No matter how long she had been a part of the Special Victims Unit, the reality of her life never got any easier to bear. She would most likely never lead a "normal" existence of working nine to five and taking the train home to the suburbs to a house with a real yard and a family inside. Instead, she remained in the world where her hours were spent chasing after the most despicable breed of criminals, only to come home to an under-decorated studio apartment with only the constant sounds of horns and sirens to help her sleep at night. Not realizing just how deep in thought she was, the sudden ring of her desk phone gave her quite a jolt.

"Benson," she answered mechanically, having done it more times than she could count. The other end of the line, however, gave no response. What sounded like TV static lasted for a few seconds, and the line was quickly disconnected. Still rather distracted by her thoughts, she brushed it off as a wrong number and made her way to the lockers to grab some sweats that she kept for nights like this one, which occurred all too frequently.

"I'll be back." Heading to the restrooms to change, she noticed that Elliot was staring blankly at the mass of files on his desks and had not even heard her.

There was something about washing the night off her face and peeling away her uncomfortable ensemble that made Olivia feel more like herself than anything else. Clad in only her underwear, she stared at her reflection for what felt like ages, not really for any reason in particular.

"Liv, do you have the-oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were, umm, I mean, ya." Both Elliot and Olivia were fairly reserved when it came to their emotions, and rarely had either of them blushed with such force. After quickly throwing on her sweats, Olivia made her way back to her desk, working hard not to make eye contact with her partner.

"Sorry, Liv, I, umm"-

"Really, don't worry about it. What were you trying to tell me before you...", she couldn't help her cheeks reddening once again.

"Right…that. I was just missing a file, but I found it. Oh, and your phone rang again."

"Hmm, I think there's something wrong with the connection-I've been getting a lot of dropped calls." She took a closer look at her partner, noticing the huge dark circles under his eyes. "You know, El, it wouldn't kill you to get some sleep. You look awful."

He didn't bother to remark, but merely headed up to the break room and collapsed on the couch, slipping out of consciousness almost as soon as his head hit the worn upholstery. In what felt like seconds later, he was back at his desk. The sun was in the early stages of rising, and Olivia was hard at work finishing the never-ending supply of paperwork that all detectives faced.

"How long was I out?" he grumbled, wiping his eyes and heading for the coffee maker.

"A few hours, I guess you really needed it. I'm just finishing up. Hey, I've got some slightly questionable leftover Chinese in my fridge. You interested?"

"Sounds good. Just me just grab my stuff."

Elliot grinned. "Liv, I think your apartment looks more like a bachelor's pad every time I see it."

"What can I say-I need to find me a good househusband to keep the place livable and put food on the table. Chow mein?" As she offered up the pungently aromatic take-out container, she noticed a strange look in her partner's eyes.

"I'm not hungry, Liv."

Nothing could have prepared him for the rush of emotions the he was experiencing. Maybe he was just lonely; maybe he was tired and not thinking clearly. Maybe he had just become too comfortable around his partner. Or maybe, and his gut told him that this was the most likely option, he was finally allowing himself to feel toward Olivia the way he had felt for so long. Whatever the reason, it wasn't long before an inexplicable force overcame him and he was pressing every inch of his body against hers. While clearly shocked, Olivia had very little desire to resist this unexpected advance. With an intense gaze of yearning, they melted into each others mouths, all the while Elliot was beginning to explore every sensual curve and exciting nuance of Liv's well toned shape. As their hunger for each other escalated, he guided her to the nearby sofa. With an intensity thought by both to be unattainable, the two united as one in so many ways. Collapsing after an earth-shattering climax, they laid, bodies entwined in a collection of heat and sweat. When he had finally caught his breath, Elliot leaned over to taste every reachable inch of his lover's glistening skin, only to notice her image starting to fade. Figuring that he had simply not gotten quite enough sleep, he curled up against Olivia, or at least tried to, when…

"Elliot? Elliot, wake up!"

"What?"

"Sorry to wake you, but I'm leaving now. I've got some semi-digestible Chinese in my fridge and a well worn couch that you're more than welcome too."

"Thanks, but I think I'll stay here tonight."

"Suit yourself. Sweet dreams." She leaned over the lounge couch to hug him, which sent a confusing quiver up and down his spine.

"Ya. You too, Liv."


	2. Chapter 2

Elliot Stabler grudgingly wandered into his living room and turned on the TV. _They really should put more thought into early morning programming,_ he thought. It was three in the morning and he had gotten nowhere with his futile attempts at slumber. This was becoming annoyingly common, as it was the fourth night this week-not to mention that he had to be at the station by eight. There was no mystery concerning the cause of his sleepless night. On the few occasions in which he had drifted off, he found himself having the same dream-he and his partner were making passionate love in every position known to man, their heat and sweat molding the two together. It was perfect, that is, until the inevitable occurred and Elliot found himself awake and drenched with sweat, his heart pounding. Several infomercials later, with no sleep in sight, he decided to go ahead and start the coffee and get ready for work.

"All right, people, let's at least pretend to be working." Donald Cragen could only pretend to scold his detectives as they lingered around the break table, which served as the station's "water cooler". He, more than anyone, knew the undying loyalty his squad felt towards him. He also knew that this was their family and home, something that few people could say about their jobs.

"C'mon, guys, dad's gonna put us in timeout if we don't move our asses", Olivia joked with a lighthearted grin. Cragen was as close to a father figure as she had ever had, and most likely ever would have. He meant the world to her on so many levels.

"Nobody at the Academy said anything about this gig involving work", snorted Munch.

Fin rolled his eyes at his partner's remark. "Don't make me snap your bony little ass in two."

The group gradually started mulling towards their respective desks, not looking forward to starting the day's paperwork. They were detectives, after all-their high came from pinning criminals against a wall, not from endless paper cuts.

"Elliot, my office", Cragen called out. A minute later he and Detective Stabler were sitting face to face across Cragen's desk. "You look like shit, Elliot."

"Thanks, Captain. That's the look I was going for."

"I'm serious, Stabler. Either tell me what's going on or I'm sending you home."

"It's nothing-just haven't been sleeping much lately." Elliot was being careful to dodge eye contact with his boss.

"We both know that sleep deprivation is a part of the job, so how come I'm just now noticing how exhausted you look?" There was no response. "It's Liv, isn't it?" Again, Elliot said nothing. "I can't say I didn't have my suspicions."

"Don't worry, Captain. It won't get in the way of my work."

"I find that quite hard to believe. You obviously haven't slept in at least a week-don't you think that will have at least some adverse effect on your productivity?"

"I just"-

"Look, go home and get some rest and think about what you need to do to become fully functioning again. That isn't a suggestion, by the way. Do it or start looking for a new department." As harsh as his message was, there was only genuine concern in Cragen's eyes.

Elliot knew he had no other choice. While the look on his face contained utter contempt towards his boss for making him leave, he could not deny the gratitude he felt deep down. It was never very characteristic of Elliot Stabler to take time for himself, even when he truly needed it; in fact, the only days off that he could remember were completely unavoidable by way of his Captain's demand. And, if he thought about it, it was probably those days off that kept Elliot sane enough to stay in the Special Victims Unit.

Without any further communication between the two, Elliot made his way out of Cragen's office and hastily grabbed his jacket from the nearby lockers. He made absolutely no attempt at eye contact with Olivia or his other co-workers.

"Elliot?" Olivia called out to him, but he was quickly out the station door. Her initial response was to dart out after her partner, but as soon as she rose from her chair, Cragen stopped her.

"Let him go, Liv."

Puzzled, she sank back down in her chair. The silence was quickly broken by Cragen. "Okay, John and Olivia, there's a victim at St. Mary's that just came to. Go see if you can get a statement. Fin, try to get forensics to put a rush on those samples from the Brighton case-just be your normal, charming self and they should get the hint." Detective Tutuola cracked his knuckles in response.

Jeanette Branson was lying helplessly on her ICU bed when John and Olivia arrived. Apart from the countless abrasions and bruises covering her body, it was hard to overlook the enormous bandages wrapped securely around her throat that were already starting to stain with blood.

"Hi, Jeanette, I'm Detective Benson and this is Detective Munch. We're from the Special Victims Unit, and we specialize in assault crimes. Is it okay if we ask you a few questions?" Olivia had recited this speech more times than she could count, but it still gave her a small twinge of rage in her gut to see the aftermath of sexual assault. She couldn't help noticing how much older Jeanette appeared compared to the mere 20 years noted on her chart. Olivia figured that experiencing this level of trauma had to age the soul.

Jeanette managed a feeble nod of agreement to being questioned. For the following hour or so, she struggled to recall as much as possible. For several weeks, she had been receiving strange calls…

It was the end of another day. Another day and another rape victim. This one made it out alive, although she was not out of the woods yet. Olivia knew that this girl would be battling demons for the rest of her adult life. If she was lucky, she would get help and find healthy ways of coping. Without support, she would be doomed to a life of trying to fill the gap that assault leaves behind. Olivia wandered to the kitchen of her apartment and grabbed some old wine out of the fridge. She sank into her worn yet inviting couch which was almost as comfortable as the oversized and threadbare NYPD shirt she always slept in. A couple of overrated primetime sitcoms later, Olivia was sprawled out on the couch in a very deep sleep. A booming knock on her front door quickly brought her back to the world of the conscious. Muttering a few obscenities under her breath, she eventually made it to the door.

"I'm coming, El, hang on." She hadn't even looked through the peephole. There was no need-she had heard him bang on far too many doors in their time together. "Jesus, Stabler, you look like shit." There was no use in sugarcoating anything. It was quite obvious that Elliot had still not gotten any sleep.

"Ya, guess I can't argue there. Sorry to barge in so late. How was work?"

"You came to my apartment at 3 in the morning to ask about work?" Olivia knew her partner better than that-with the way he had been acting lately, there was no question that he was hiding something. "C'mon, Stabler, spill it. There's something you're not telling me. What has been going on lately?"

"I've just, umm, had a lot on my mind," Elliot stammered. This was much harder than he had anticipated.

"No shit, Sherlock-don't you think I know you better than that by now?" She had laughter in her eyes, but was starting to really worry about her partner. "Elliot, what is it? You're scaring me."

He made his way to the kitchen and started nursing a beer from the fridge. Olivia gave him a few minutes before pressing on.

"Okay, now that you're liquored up, would you mind telling me what this is all about?"

"I…well, I'm just"-

"Yes, keep going." Olivia could not hide the exasperation in her voice anymore.

"I'm in love with you, Liv."


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia felt as though she had been kicked in the gut. She lowered herself to the couch to avoid falling over. "You're in love with me?" She stammered, the shock of the concept still sinking in. "But, Elliot, we're partners. How long have you felt this way?"

"I guess, in some way, since day one." There was a sudden hint of guilt in his voice.

"So, for almost half of your marriage to Kathy?" Olivia tried to sound accusatory, but how could she without being a total hypocrite? It wasn't as though she hadn't been secretly hiding her own feelings toward her partner for just as long.

"I know this doesn't change the fact that we're partners, but I knew that there was no hope of me ever getting any sleep if I didn't tell you how I feel."

Olivia tried to speak, but a mix of utter exhaustion and shock prevented the words from leaving her mouth.

Elliot started moving towards the front door. "I guess I'll let you get some sleep. I just"-

It was as though he was being controlled by someone else. He knew he had to feel the touch of her skin, to taste her lips, almost as if his livelihood depended on it. He leaned in gently, working hard to control the overwhelming desire in his soul. His lips tenderly brushed against hers. Waiting for some sort of response from her, their eyes met. That one look said everything-every fear and emotion they had both held onto for so long. It was now Olivia that made the advance, latching onto her partner's lips with an unequivocal magnetic force. This was all the encouragement Elliot needed. He tenderly caressed the back of Olivia's head while his tongue explored every gentle curve and crevice of her lips. She gave a soft moan, which only intensified his desire. He shifted to lessen the uncomfortable tightening of fabric around his groin. She leaned back into a supine position on the couch, opening her legs just enough to assure him that he was welcome to proceed. She loved the way he always showed respect for her feelings-there were few men that she had ever allowed herself to trust on such a deep level. With a delicious sigh of contented release, Elliot made his way between Olivia's legs, moving up her body until they were completely entwined. She shuddered when his hardening cock rested against her. He saw her reaction, which helped in no way to relieve his increasing tension but he still managed to remain a gentleman, because the last thing he wanted to do was rush anything. Their newfound lust for each other was inexplicable-never before had any woman been able to excite him so much with so little as a glance. Actually being this close to her, feeling her soft skin, sensing her heat, knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, was enough to send him over the edge. Olivia reluctantly tore away from his lips to whisper something in his ear.

"I want you to see me, Elliot. All of me." With that, he aided her in removing her oversized shirt and was quite pleased to discover her lack of underwear. He had never seen anything so beautiful or sexy in his life. Her skin was remarkably soft and supple for a veteran detective, yet there was no mistaking her well toned muscles. Her breasts were the perfect size, not too large or small, and her very erect nipples did nothing to hide her increased state of arousal. This was a body that the ancient Greeks would have worshiped. Elliot's mind was filled with all the sordid and exciting things he wanted to do to her. She could read the desire in his eyes, but instead of giving him free reign of her naked flesh, she pulled him towards her till they were at eye level. Slightly confused, he questioned her with his eyes.

"Not like this, El. This is more than just sex. Sex is for one night stands and clumsy teenagers in the backseat of a car. I don't want sex with you, I want to make love. There is always time for that other stuff…later." She grinned mischievously. Elliot was overcome with his feelings towards Liv. He pulled her against him in a deep embrace, while his hands stroked her lower back. "Tell me what you want," he whispered gently.

"I want you. I want you so much it scares me." With that, she rose to her feet and seductively led him into her bedroom by the tie that he had never bothered taking off earlier. Once they were at the foot of her bed, she started removing his clothes at a tortuously slow pace that made him weak in the knees. With every article of clothing she undid, she never once took her eyes off him. With her hands, she guided over the muscular bulges of his chest and shoulders-remnants of his jarhead days that were as much a defining characteristic as his unpredictable temper. As her hands crept from his shoulders to his stomach, she slid one hand down his pants while using the other to undo his belt. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last.

"Mmmm, you're driving me insane." With that thought, he hastily kicked out of his pants and boxers and lifted Olivia into his arms. Their naked heat fused together in one of the most erotic moments that either had ever experienced. Elliot laid her down and balanced his weight on top of her. It was then that he noticed a small tear roll down her cheek. He had been around the block enough times to know that it was rarely a good thing to make a woman cry in bed.

"Liv, what is it?"

"I need you inside me, Elliot. I need to feel you, to know that this is all real."

He gave her a tender yet sly grin and kissed away the tear. "All you had to do was ask."

She gasped when he slid inside her, stopping to catch his breath from the overwhelming sensation. He could have died right then and there a happy man. Luckily, though, he was still alive and going strong. Each thrust sent shivers down his spine. They moved as one, molded together as if their bodies had been made for each other. Their pace quickened and their force increased, both realizing that neither would be able to last much longer. Elliot squeezed Olivia's hands for support as the pressure from her orgasm sent him over the edge. He collapsed as she rolled on top of him, neither wanting to be separated anytime soon.

"Elliot?"

"Ya, Liv?"

"I love you too."


	4. Chapter 4

_Did that really happen? Maybe it was all just a dream._ Sunlight was just starting to peak through the drawn curtains of Olivia's bedroom window. _No, last night had definitely not been a dream_, she realized with a smile. She rolled onto her side, gazing at her partner's oddly peaceful sleeping frame. _He may be the toughest detective at the 1-6, _she thought with a grin, _but that didn't change the fact that he slept in a fetal position with the most adorable puppy dog expression on his face. _ With plenty of time before they had to be at the precinct, Olivia repositioned herself with her head resting on Elliot's chest. She couldn't remember ever feeling so safe, or so happy for that matter. The pessimist deep inside her subconscious was waiting for the ball to drop and pummel her back to the lonely reality of her life. However, the newfound optimist inside quickly quelled her fears and allowed her to feel truly content for the first time. _I could get used to this_. She loved feeling his chest rise and fall with every breath, the warm air from his mouth on her neck. As he gradually started to awake, he rolled onto his side and stroked Olivia's hair, gazing deeply into her eyes.

"Morning, sunshine," she teased. He gave her a taunting smile that sent shivers down her spine. After being his partner for so many years, she knew for a fact that he functioned much better as the day progressed, and would probably get up at noon every day if he had a choice in the matter. He loved seeing Olivia so happy, and could not remember a time when he himself had felt so fulfilled-just holding her in his arms and feeling her heart beat against him. When he leaned over and started nibbling on her ear, she stopped him. "Guess what?" She could not hide the excitement in her eyes.

"What," he mumbled, unable to keep his hands off of her naked flesh.

"It's later." That was all Elliot needed to hear.

Their first time together had been tender and passionate, almost cautious. The force between them was electrifying and scary, both discovering such new territories. The second time could not have been more different. They had awakened their primal lust for each other and both knew that there was no end in sight.

Elliot pinned Olivia to the bed by her arms. The look in his eyes was a mix of hunger and passion. He used his tongue and worked his way down her neck to the defined length of her collarbone. She moaned his name almost inaudibly. Being controlled by someone that she trusted so completely was more erotic than anything she had ever experienced. She could feel herself getting very wet very quickly. Elliot slowly moved made his way down her sternum, eventually making a long stop at her breasts. She bit her lip to keep from shouting out as he ravished each of her hardening nipples. She took advantage of his loosening grip on her wrists and was able to force him to his back. He should have known not to underestimate her strength. "Sorry, Stabler, but it's my turn." She wasted no time making her way between his legs. Just feeling the heat from her breath on his cock brought him dangerously close to an orgasm. He relaxed a little as she carefully took all of him in her mouth. She let out a low moan, sending wet vibrations through his body.

"Jesus, Liv." He hadn't had this kind of attention in the bedroom for some time. His marriage with Kathy had reminded him of an old joke widely known in the police departments around Manhattan.

_How come a bride always smiles so big on her wedding day?_

_-She never has to get on her knees again._

Sophomoric, but Elliot was too busy enjoying his departure from the usual to care about social stereotypes. As good as Olivia was at what she was doing, he had better things in mind. "How do you like it, Detective?" His tone was surly, yet incredibly sexy at the same time.

"How bout you let me show you." This no nonsense approach was what made Olivia such a great detective. Elliot was sure that he had better comply, or suffer the consequences. With that, she quickly straddled his waist, teasing his package with her wet flesh, only to have him wince in agony. "My, my, aren't we impatient?" Liv seamed to get a small amount of pleasure from the amount of power she held over Elliot, but even she had her breaking point when it came to the lust she felt for her partner. She reached in between her legs and slowly guided herself onto Elliot's throbbing bulge. Once he was completely inside her, she stopped and waited before thrusting against him, causing the sensation to build even more.

"Liv, if you're trying to kill me, you're about to succeed."

It was over almost as soon as it had started, but the intensity of the act made up for the brevity. The two collapsed in a sweaty heap, trying to catch their breath.

Elliot stroked her moist cheek with affection. "God I love you, Liv."

"I love you too, El."

She knew they didn't have enough time to go back to sleep before getting ready for work, so caffeine would be a necessity. "Want some coffee?"

"No need," he said with a grin. "I've already had the best part of waking up."

Elliot walked into the bullpen a good 20 minutes earlier than usual. He knew it would look suspicious if Olivia had been with him, especially since he was still wearing the same clothes from the previous day.

"Didn't I send you home yesterday?" Elliot looked up to see Cragen standing by him near the coffee maker.

"C'mon, Captain, when have you ever known me to spend more than one day away from this place?"

Donald Cragen gave one of his signature looks of omniscience. There were few instances in which he could not read into exactly what was going on in his detective's minds. He also knew, as a man, the subtle differences in demeanor that could only be accounted for by a night with someone special. He made the decision to ignore this realization for the time being. "Well, since you _are_ here, how bout getting some work done?"

"Right." Elliot could sense his captain's reserved tone, but pretended not to notice.

About 10 minutes later, Cragen got off the phone in his office and quickly walked out into the bullpen. "There's been a rape/homicide with the same MO as the Branson case outside of Central Park West."

"Shit." Elliot slammed his fist on the desk angrily. It had only been a couple of days since Jeanette Branson was raped, and both Cragen and Elliot knew that there was a good chance that today's victim would not be the last of this unknown bastard. "I just got off the phone with Olivia. She's gonna meet you," Cragen continued.

"I'm on my way. Where in the park is it?" Elliot was grabbing his coat and heading for the door.

"The girl didn't make it, Elliot. Liv's on her way to the morgue. Warner is waiting there for you both."

Elliot didn't say anything, but turned around and left the squad room. This was the worst part of the job, but someone had to do it. Every case seemed a little more personal lately. He thought it probably had something to do with his divorce, even after two years; the almost constant separation from his children had caused him to look at each victim a little differently. In a perverse irony, the pain from his personal life had taken away some of the jaded callousness that kept all officers from being too affected by the horrific brutality of their job.

He arrived at the morgue about 15 minutes later, and quickly made his way inside to find Olivia waiting for him. She looked as upset as he felt. There was nothing worse for a Special Victims officer than knowing that there was a serial rapist on the loose. "Warner told me that she's ready when we are," Olivia said calmly.

"Let's get it over with, then."


End file.
